1998 Mitsubishi Montero Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Montero years
- More complaints than other years 4th of 12 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 74 complaints with NHTSA about the 1998 Mitsubishi Montero. That ranks 4th out of 12 Montero model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is suspension (18 complaints, 24%), typically at around 68,000 miles. Complaints mention 9 crashes, 12 injuries. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 74owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 9complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1998 Mitsubishi Montero problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 18 | 24% | 68,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 9 | 12% | 94,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 9 | 12% | — | — | — |
| Air Bags | 6 | 8% | 95,500 | — | — |
| Structure | 5 | 7% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 5 | 7% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 4 | 5% | 94,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4 | 5% | 49,761 | — | — |
| Visibility | 4 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 3 | 4% | 49,761 | — | — |
| Power Train | 3 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 3 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 3 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Equipment | 2 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 2 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 1% | 155,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1998 Mitsubishi Montero recalls (4)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
Problem: Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 1998-2000 Montero vehicles. These vehicles were equipped with Non-Azide Driver air bag Inflators (NADI) and do not contain phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. Due to a manufacturing issue, the NADI inflators may absorb moisture, causing the inflators to rupture or the air bag cushion to underinflate.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, an inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants. An underinflated air bag may not properly protect the occupant. These scenarios increase the risk of serious injury or death.
Fix: MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began February 25, 2021. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-20-001.
Equipment:other:labels
Problem: Certain passenger vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 208, 'occupant crash protection.' the bilingual english/spanish removable air bag warning labels affixed to the dash and to the sunvisor do not meet the size requirements of the standard.
Risk: This does not meet the requirements of the standard.
Fix: Mitsubishi caribbean will mail a customer notification letter containing a written description and a graphic of the bi-lingual dashboard air bag warning label. In addition, all current 2000-2004 nativa owners will also receive replacement air bag alert labels for the sun visors. This recall is expected to begin during march or april 2005. The notification to the nativa owners is expected to begin during april or may 2005. Owners should contact mitsubishi caribbean at 1-787-251-8715.
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Problem: Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles. The front brake lines can develop pin holes due to chaffing against the edge of the pass-through hole in the inner fender.
Risk: Brake fluid can leak resulting in deteriorated braking performance and illumination of the brake indicator lamp.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the front brake lines for signs of wear and routing. If the lines are not correctly centered in the pass-through hole, the lines will be repositioned by bending slightly to correct. If there is evidence of brake line wear, the brake line will be replaced.
Unknown or other
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with accessory cargo mats in the third-seat and cargo area. This cargo mat interferes with the latching integrity of the folding third seats.
Risk: In the event of a crash, an occupant of the third seat may not be properly restrained and could be ejected from the vehicle.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the third-seat latch and striker. A rectangle will be removed from the cargo mat around each striker to provide adequate striker clearance and proper latching.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Rear folding seat disengagement (PE98042) — opened Jul 31, 1998, closed Sep 3, 1998, led to recall 98V205000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
At the moment the only situation that i have had with the mitsubishi airbag recall is that when i call the customer relations department they say they do not have the parts, that supposedly the mitsubishi company has not yet sent the replacement parts.....i have to call within 2 months to see if…
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 mitsubishi montero. The contact discovered that the vin was included in nhtsa campaign number: 20v035000 (air bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact…
The vehicle was taken to southside mitsubishi in orlando and because a mechanic named bob who's been there for over 20 years says it's the original but it's not the original bolt they don't want to honor the recall i argued with them multiple times.. The original bolt is me203072, and the montero…
I had been experiencing the smell of gasoline inside the car, stronger when i open the back rear luggage area and rear of montero (closest to the gas fuel tank underneath). I do not see any active leak on the floor. My car has no damage, such as being rear ended or bumper damage at all. The tank…
Driving to store i accelerated from a stop sign and car continued to accelerate after taking foot off gas pedal. Tried to stomp on throttle to get it unstuck, but it did not work. Finally after about a mile and a half and speeds past 80 miles per hour throttle released on its own. I have not found…
Other Mitsubishi Montero years
← 1997 Montero · 1999 Montero →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 Montero | 4 | 0 |
| 2005 Montero | 1 | 0 |
| 2004 Montero | 5 | 3 |
| 2003 Montero | 39 | 2 |
| 2002 Montero | 111 | 3 |
| 2001 Montero | 166 | 4 |
| 2000 Montero | 51 | 2 |
| 1999 Montero | 40 | 2 |
| 1998 | 74 | 4 |
| 1997 Montero | 63 | 2 |
| 1996 Montero | 27 | 2 |
| 1995 Montero | 86 | 2 |
See all Mitsubishi Montero problems by year, every Mitsubishi model, or the Mitsubishi VIN decoder.
Similar Mitsubishi models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1998 Mitsubishi Montero?
Owners most often report suspension, engine and engine cooling, service brakes, hydraulic problems. The top one, suspension, accounts for 18 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1998 Mitsubishi Montero?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1998 Mitsubishi Montero a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Montero model years, the 1998 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.